Handling data in a communications network

Abstract

A method and apparatus for handling data between a radio network and a service network, the data comprising Network Aware data. A gateway node in a mobile core network receives a message from the radio network. It then determines whether the message comprises Network Aware data. If it does, then the message is routed to a Packet Data Network Gateway node configured to handle Network Aware data. If it doesn't, then the message is routed to a Packet Data Network Gateway node for message handling. This ensures that non-Network Aware data is handled using regular message handling, and Network Aware data is handled by nodes configured to handle Network Aware data.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of handling data between a radio network and a service network, the data comprising Network Aware data, the method comprising:
 at a gateway node in a mobile core network, receiving from the radio network a message; 
 determining whether the message comprises Network Aware data, wherein Network Aware data comprises information about network conditions or requirements of the radio network; and 
 in the event that the message comprises Network Aware data, routing the message to a Packet Data Network Gateway node configured to handle Network Aware data, and in the event that the message does not comprise Network Aware data, routing the message to a Packet Data Network Gateway node for message handling. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, at the gateway node, performing deep packet inspection on packets traversing the gateway node to determine whether the message comprises Network Aware data. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, at the gateway node, mapping an address used in the radio network to an address usable by the service network. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, at the gateway node, mapping a Protocol Data Unit used in the radio network to a Protocol Data Unit usable by the service network. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the Protocol Data Unit used in the radio network is received as an extension header over an established General Packet Radio Service Tunnelling Protocol User Plane connection. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the Protocol Data Unit used in the radio network is received at the gateway node as any of a message comprising no payload, a message comprising a payload, and an echo test message. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the Protocol Data Unit used in the radio network is received at the gateway node as user plane data in a General Packet Radio Service Tunnelling Protocol User Plane message. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the Protocol Data Unit used in the radio network is received at the gateway node using a dedicated signalling protocol. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a Protocol Data Unit used in the radio network has a message type indicating that the message is destined for a plurality of nodes. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the message is addressed to a fictitious end point in the service network. 
     
     
       11. A gateway node for use in a mobile core network for handling data between a radio network and a service network, the gateway node comprising:
 a receiver for receiving a message from the radio network; 
 a processor for determining whether the message comprises Network Aware data wherein Network Aware data comprises information about network conditions or requirements of the radio network; 
 a first transmitter for, in the event that the message comprises Network Aware data, sending the message to a Packet Data Network Gateway node configured to handle Network Aware data; and 
 a second transmitter for, in the event that the message does not comprise Network Aware data, routing the message to a Packet Data Network Gateway node for message handling. 
 
     
     
       12. The gateway node according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is arranged to perform deep packet inspection on packets traversing the gateway node to determine whether the message comprises Network Aware data. 
     
     
       13. The gateway node according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further arranged to map an address for the message used in the radio network to an address usable by the service network. 
     
     
       14. The gateway node according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is arranged to map a Protocol Data Unit used in the radio network to a Protocol Data Unit usable by the service network. 
     
     
       15. The gateway node according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is arranged to address the message to a fictitious end point in the service network. 
     
     
       16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium and a computer program stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program comprising computer readable code which, when run from the non-transitory computer readable medium in a processor in a gateway node, causes the gateway node to perform a method as claimed in  claim 1 .